The use of mannequins resembling the human form, or part of the human form, are common in retail locations, particularly those displaying clothes or accessories. Traditionally, these mannequins have been formed out of fiberglass, but could also be formed of plastic, plaster, wood or a combination thereof. There are some mannequins that are upholstered with fabric to create an alternative or more elegant look. When upholstering female form mannequins, it is challenging to create an upholstered bust with a realistic sunken bust line between the female breasts. Often times, upholstered mannequins omit a central bust line and treat the breasts as a solid horizontal unit. Alternatively, only subtle indents between the breasts are created. Such designs can be satisfactory for displaying certain clothing or accessories. However, in certain applications, for example displaying lingerie, a more realistic upholstered mannequin is preferred to create an appealing and realistic look.
One upholstery technique to create a sunken breast is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 shows an upholstered mannequin 2 having a central bust line 4. As shown in FIG. 2 the fabric 6 is adapted to fit over a rigid mannequin form 8. Typically the rigid mannequin form is made out of plastic, however any other suitable material could be used. In order to create a bust line, a shaping body 10 is attached to the central seam 11 which defines the central bust line 4. The shaping body of the prior art is straight in shape. The shaping body is sewn to the central bust line seam 11 and includes 3 strings or anchors 12, 14, and 16 attached thereto. These anchors are pulled through channels 20, 22, and 24 in the rigid mannequin form 8 before they are fixed to the back of the mannequin. The anchor strings 12, 14 and 16 can be adjusted in tension to create a central bust line 4 between the breasts of the mannequin.
Although this bust line is in an improvement over previous methods, the bust line is not a smooth curve and typically includes a jagged transition shown in FIG. 1 at reference 18 where the shaping body 10 is attached. Additionally, the bust line can become jagged at the middle anchor 14 as the straight shaping body does not conform to the shape of the rigid mannequin between the breasts. A more realistic bust line in upholstered mannequins is required.